One of today’s most pressing business
issues is knowledge management. The advent of the Internet and the
prevalence of network servers in most law offices have unleashed
seemingly unlimited resources for capturing and distributing
information. But now that we have that technology, how can we corral,
share and use it to enhance our daily work? If you work for a corp­orate
legal department or work in a corp­orate environment that manages
outside counsel, look no further.
Case&Point has
knowledge management all wrapped up, with a bright, shiny red bow.

This powerful
program allows users to manage their workloads, including deadlines,
dockets and contacts. It also tracks work in progress, manages the use
of outside vendors (such as expert witnesses, court reporters, law firms
and lawyers), and tracks and reports expenses.

An example of the
breadth of the program is the way that matters are categorized in its
database. Users can create matter classes based on eight templates,
including contract, lease, litigation and patent categories. This is an
example of one of Case& Point’s best features: flexibility in the amount
of control the end user has. Additionally, companies can set up varying
degrees of data access by individual matter type, providing security and
confidentiality.

The amount of
information that can be managed is amazing. Other case management
software programs pale in comparison. Although matter management is just
the tip of the iceberg with this program, a look at the data that is
within a few mouse clicks illustrates the depth of this software.

In the Litigation
Matter class, besides the basic information, Case&Point tracks the
location of each file folder in the case (including file drawer), the
file and document retention or archive plan, the parties and contacts
specific to the file, the staff members assigned to the project, the
case status and much more. Every aspect of Case&Point is well-developed
and surpasses expectations. All of the data is searchable and
report­able, with broad and narrow search abilities. The abundant lookup
tables alleviate the necessity of re-entering data (such as firm names
or contacts). It also permits global changes.

The program
integrates with Microsoft Word and Outlook, allowing users to create
their own templates for documents and e-mails. Also, Case& Point uses
Crystal Report’s 10 runtime files supplied with the program for
reporting. While some case management software programs use a
browser-based interface, which has proved to be sluggish, Case&Point is
a Microsoft Windows application that uses Smart Caching Client —
proprietary technology to store data locally and provide lightning-fast
data access for remote and local users. An optional module is available
for Outlook and IBM Lotus Notes integration, and an e-billing module is
in the works. Case&Point is easy to install and is user-friendly. Its
software engineers provide customer support and four free training
sessions to new users via WebEx online conferencing.

While the cost of
this software is hefty (and rightly so), it’s easy to see how the
corporate client quickly will recoup its investment — and then some —
through increased efficiency, productivity and superiority of work
product. Although Case&Point isn’t designed for, and doesn’t market to,
the private law firm, a look at this product underscores the need for a
software product this effective for the private sector.

I wholeheartedly
recommend this product and have every confidence that, should your
company purchase Case& Point, you will not be disappointed.